Betsy Ludwig Archives

This startup is developing safe cosmetics for pregnant people

After testing more than 20 blends of lipstick personally and among volunteers, Michelle Calderon is preparing to launch the initial products of her startup, Addition Beauty. “We are the first sustainable makeup line that supports fertility and pregnancy,” says Calderon, who earned a Northeastern MBA last spring.

by Ian Thomsen October 13, 2021

Startup deploys underwater drones to save oceans from bacteria

Shital Waters, a graduate student in computer science and a star of YouTube videos, is co-founder of BluePlanetAI, which plans to deploy underwater drones to detect dangerous bacteria. In support of her efforts, Waters has received an inaugural $5,000 Innovator Award from Northeastern's Women Who Empower inclusion and entrepreneurship initiative.

by Ian Thomsen October 12, 2021

An innovative cosmetics idea turned her into an entrepreneur ahead of schedule

Aniyah Smith’s career timeline underwent a radical adjustment last year when the MBA student placed second among Northeastern entrepreneurs based on her idea to create inclusive and accessible cosmetics for a diverse population. “I did not expect to be building a company at 22 years old,” says Smith, winner of an inaugural $2,500 Innovator Award from Northeastern’s Women Who Empower inclusion and entrepreneurship initiative.

by Ian Thomsen September 24, 2021

A portrait of Northeastern student Khailah Nichole-Robin Griffin.

Her family history inspires her to help aspiring doctors from nontraditional backgrounds

Khailah Nichole-Robin Griffin, a fifth-year business student and captain of Northeastern’s track and field team, drew from her own experiences while creating a nonprofit organization to help nontraditional pre-medical students. She’s been inspired by her late grandmother, a Georgia sharecropper who enabled Griffin to succeed “because of the sacrifices she made.”

by Ian Thomsen September 10, 2021

A selection of caviar from California Caviar Company.

The caviar industry was in trouble. This former nursing student is saving it.

An entrepreneurship award from Northeastern is helping to revolutionize the caviar industry, says Deborah Keane, founder and chief executive officer of the groundbreaking California Caviar Company. She is committed to the development of “no-kill caviar,” which enables ripe eggs to be massaged from a female sturgeon without killing or cutting into the fish.

by Ian Thomsen August 10, 2021

The winner of this Innovator Award is inspiring people to vote

Emily White, co-founder of the #iVote initiative that hosted a record-setting digital concert around Election Day last year, received an inaugural Innovator Award offered by Northeastern’s Women Who Empower. The $10,000 award was especially gratifying because White applied for it from a hospital bed.

by Ian Thomsen June 14, 2021

Molly Beck, founder of Messy.fm, poses for a portrait.

Northeastern’s inaugural Innovator Awards recognize 19 women for entrepreneurship

In a span of 10 days, Women Who Empower received more than 150 award applications representing more than a dozen countries and all but one of Northeastern’s colleges. The winners are receiving a total of $100,000 in grants to help fuel 17 business ventures.

by Ian Thomsen June 10, 2021

Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University

Innovative business ideas come from everyone. These students are making sure everyone gets a chance.

Eliana Berger and Hannah Chaouli are the former and current directors of the Women’s Interdisciplinary Society of Entrepreneurship, where they work to help people from all backgrounds get involved in entrepreneurship, in whichever way is most important to them.

by Kaitlyn Budion August 27, 2020

Katherine Connors co-founded Blistabloc. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

Women face enough challenges in the workplace. These graduates won’t let blisters be another.

Two Northeastern graduates have designed a product to help prevent people from getting blisters on their feet. “Coming up with a product that allows me to wear heels on my long days at work is life changing,” said one of the co-founders.

by Debora Almeida October 23, 2018

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